1 comments:

It's quite unprecedented for a UK PM to hang around like this. I can't find another instance.

Prime Ministers who have been defeated at the ballot box generally depart the next morning. Heath spent a few days trying to negotiate a coalition with the Liberals. Churchill was defeated while at the Potsdam conference and was replaced by Attlee.

After both Wilson and Thatcher's resignations, they resigned the day their successor became clear. As indeed did Macmillan, even though Home had yet to resign and fight a byelection (he was one of the few(1) to serve as PM whilst not an elected legislator).